Lilly Pulitzer Channels Its 1960s Heyday with a New Generation of Kennedys

Queen of prep Lilly Pulitzer, whose clothes define Palm Beach waspdom, has never repeated a pattern in her 50 years designing shift dresses. But as Pulitzer's fashion label gears up for the relaunch of its Originals vintage collection this season, the brand is reverting back to what it was known for in its 1960s glory days: conversational prints. The talking point of the latest resort pieces? Going green—and not just in a Lilly Pulitzer green-and-pink print kind of way.

Slim Aarons's photogoraph featuring the Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Whitney families posting together in Palm Beach, in 1964. 2. A sketch from Lilly Pulitizer's new "In the Slim" collection. 3. The "In the Slim" dress.

Not only do all of the new seasonal patterns have an ecological element, but the cotton collection is also eco-friendly, from the hangtags and labels that are made from recycled materials to the dye process that is 100 percent green. Plus, one thing the fashion house discovered in its green research is that Lilly Pulitzer is a recycled brand of sorts: "Lilly's" are passed down from generation to generation. This is something that photographer Slim Aaron's captured in his famed 1964 fashion spread featuring the Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Whitney families posing together in Palm Beach—all clad in Lilly Pulitzer. The photograph was inspiration for the label's newly launched maritime print "In the Slim."

Speaking of "all in the family," Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s daughters Kick and Kyra Kennedy were chosen to be the faces of the fashion house's new "Not So Crabby" print, and for a good reason. The Kennedys have a rich tradition of wearing Lilly Pulitzer—it was a favorite of First Lady Jackie Kennedy, and John F. Kennedy Jr.'s mother, Rose Kennedy, and sister, Kathleen Kennedy, were known to sport Lilly's, too. But these young Kenney girls are taking the green generation message to a new level: Kick and Kyra are donating their Lilly Pulitzer modeling fees to Riverkeeper, the philanthropic organization that their father champions.